Gas turbine

ABSTRACT

A gas flow turbine for use in conjunction with a jet engine includes a series of radially disposed blades mounted about a periphery of a circular support wheel. The edges of the blades are substantially free of obstruction to minimize impediment to the flow of gas directed against them. This causes the turbine wheel to derive a substantial thrust from the gas flowing against it without materially impeding such flow. A convenient form of such turbine includes slightly curved blades centrally mounted in cantilever manner to a rotatable disc with their ends extending therefrom. Despite the minimal reaction imparted to the wheel by the gases, substantial energy is derived from the gases discharged from a jet engine without materially reducing the engine&#39;&#39;s efficiency. The turbine&#39;&#39;s energy may be advantageously utilized for a multitude of purposes including general augmentation of jet engine thrust, particularly for improving efficiency of launching thrust and auxiliary uses in conjunction with jet engine exhaust including electric power generation.

United States Patent [72] inventor [54] GAS TURBINE 12 Claims, 8 DrawingFigs.

[52] US. Cl 244/63 [51] Int. Cl 864i 104 [50] Field of Search 244/63;

253/40, 101; 60/(G. Digest); 180/7, 53; 230 1345, 134 s111v1 3,013,714l2/l95l Smith etal ABSTRACT: A gas flow turbine for use in conjunctionwith a jet engine includes a series of radially disposed blades mountedabout a periphery of a circular support wheel. The edges of the bladesare substantially free of obstruction to minimize impediment to the flowof gas directed against them. This causes the turbine wheel to derive asubstantial thrust from the gas flowing against it without materiallyimpeding such flow. A convenient form of such turbine includes slightlycurved blades centrally mounted in cantilever manner to a rotatable discwith their ends extending therefrom. Despite the minimal reactionimparted to the wheel by the gases, substantial energy is derived fromthe gases discharged from a jet engine without materially reducing theengines efficiency.

[56] References Cited The turbines energy may be advantageously utilizedfor a UNITED STATES PATENTS multitude of purposes including generalaugmentation of jet 968,862 8/1910 Ljungstrom 253/ 101X engine thrust,particularly for improving efficiency of 2,450,950 10/ 1948 Goddard...60/G-DigestUX launching thrust and auxiliary uses in conjunction withjet en- 2,523,008 9/1950 Goddard ..60/G-DigestUX gine exhaust includingelectric power generation.

w R T PATENTED Jmes IBYI 3; 558,084

SHEET 2 OF 3 GAS TURBINE CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION Thisapplication is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 557,448,filed Jun. 14, 1966 now US. Pat. No. 3,400,903.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a gas turbine andmare particularly to such a turbine to be driven by a relativelyunconcentrated flow of hot gas. It is more particularly directed to sucha turbine for use in conjunction with the exhaust from the type of jetengine utilized for propelling vehicles such as aircraft and jet poweredcars. Jet engines are quite efficient for driving vehicles such asaircraft and jet-powered cars after they have been accelerated tocruising speed. They are however relatively inefficient while they areaccelerating from a standstill or from lower speeds. Patent applicationSer. No. 557,448, filed Jun. l4, I966, discloses and claims a thrustaugmenter for supplementing the thrust of jet propelled objects such asjet airplanes and jet cars and a turbine for use in conjunctiontherewith. The turbine is uniquely effective in conjunction with theexhaust from a jet engine and this application is particularly directedto the unique structure of such a turbine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A gas flow turbine for use in conjunction witha jet engine includes a series of radially disposed blades mounted abouta periphery of a circular support wheel. The edges of the blades aresubstantially free of obstruction to minimize impediment to the flow ofgas directed against them. This causes the turbine wheel to derive asubstantial thrust from the gas flowing against it without materiallyimpeding such flow. A convenient form of such turbine includes curvedblades centrally mounted in a cantilever manner to a rotatable disc withtheir ends extending therefrom. Despite the minimal reaction imparted tothe wheel by the gases, substantial energy is derived from the gasesdischarged from a jet engine without materially reducing the engine'sefficiency. This energy may be advantageously utilized for a'multitudeof purposes including augmentation of jet engine thrust, particularlyfor improving efficiency of launching thrust and other uses inconjunction with jet engine exhaust including electric power generation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Novel features and advantages of thepresent invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art from areading of the following description in conjunction with theaccompanying drawing wherein similar reference characters refer tosimilar parts and in which:

FIG. 1 is a view in elevation of one embodiment of this invention inconjunction with the exhaust from a jet airplane;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the embodiment shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a top plan schematic diagram of the turbine and capstanportion of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged front view in elevation partially broken away incross section of the turbine shown in FIGS. 13;

FIG. 5 is a side view in elevation of the turbine shown in FIG. 4 with aportion broken away and in cross section;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken through FIG. 5 along the line6-6;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged view of part of the broken away portion of FIG. 5;and

FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram in side elevation of an embodiment of thisinvention installed in a test arrangement.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The subject matter of patent application Ser. No.557,448, filed Jun. 14, I966, is incorporated herein by referencethereto.

Referring in detail to the drawings and first with particular referenceto FIG. 1, 2 and 3, there is shown ajet aircraft A to be launched from arunway R with a central guide track T, wherein the aircraftundercarriage rear wheels W on each side of the guide track are engagedby a pusher means, such as a V- shaped yoke 10 with pusher bars of arms11 and 12 pivoted at the apex to a track engaging slipper or shoe 15engaged at forked ends 16 with spaced strut members 13 and 14 of eachrear aircraft strut. The slipper or track shoe I5 is also connected torearwardly diverging frame bars 17 and 18 of a turbine dolly Dhereinafter described. Also, the tail pipe P of the jet aircraft A ispositioned to direct and apply a flow of exhaust gases from the tailpipe P, or if there are dual tail pipes, on the turbine blades 20 ofturbine wheels 21, such as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 6.

The turbine 21 is mounted on a wheel supported frame or dolly D, seeFIGS. 1 and 2, and is journaled to turn axle shaft 22 with the capstans36 and 37. As the turbine wheel 21 is driven by exhaust gas energy, thecapstan revolve and are thus forced to move along a fixed loop of cable38 when the turbine applies torque to the capstans. The cable 38 isreeved around equalizer sheave 39 and loops therefrom to attach to asuitable cable tension means, such as for example sections of nylon ropeor tape 42 suitably coupled to the ends 40 and 41 of the fixed cable.The coupling means between the cable and nylon tension means may be anysuitable coupling arrangement such as linked clevis members (not shown).In each embodiment described the track, the cable loop and itstensioning and mounting may be identical. However, in some instances thetrack may be eliminated and the cable may be single cable sections notin a loop.

Thus from the foregoing description in connection with the embodimentsof FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the basic feature of the arrangement is to utilizethe exhaust gases of the jet engine, of the airplane being launched, toprovide the energy necessary to operate the launcher during the launchrollout along the runway R. The vehicle, however, may also be a landcraft.

The turbine wheel or wheels 21 may be mounted or splined on an axle 22.The hub of the turbine wheel as shown in FIG. 4 comprises a collar 24with a mating bore and keyway for slidably mounting over the axle 22 tobearing carriage 23, said collar being secured by bolts 26 to spacedturbine blade mounting rings or annulus means 27 and 28.

The turbine structures of FIGS. I, 2 and 3 may be modified whereby theturbine axle mounts a radial flow turbine wheel at each end of the axle22 rather than one single axial flow turbine wheel at the center of theaxle as shown schematically in FIGS. 1 and 3.

The turbine wheel or wheels generally referenced by the numeral 21, asshown in FIG. 4, have a retaining nut 30 suitably secured over the endof the axle 22 and the lower half of the turbine wheel may be partlyenclosed by a shroud 31 and a laterally positioned circular plate 32adjacent the inboard side of the wheel and an exhaust outlet scoop 33 ata cutout 34 in the shroud 31 on the both side of the wheel. Plate 32 isa deflector to help keep hot gas from damaging the respective adjacentcapstan and cable arrangements. The shroud 31 increases the efficiencyof the gas flow by reducing pumping of the gases at this location of theturbine. Each turbine wheel 21 also includes an air scoop 55 adapted tocapture and direct the tail pipe exhaust gases into the upper exposedperiphery of wheel 21.

FIGS. 5-7 show the details of the manner of securement of blades 20 todiscs 27, 28. As indicated therein each blade 20 extends through a pairof aligned slots in discs 27 and 28 so that the blades are radialwithrespect to the wheel 21 and are substantially parallel to the axle shaft22. The slots in discs 27 and 28 correspond to the cross section ofwheels 20 to accurately position the blades and assure free flow of gasbetween the blades after impingement thereon. Blades 20 extend away fromboth sides of discs 27 and 28 substantially equal amounts as mostclearly shown in FIG. 6. As also shown in FIG. 6, channel shaped members102 are positioned between discs 27 and 28 to space the discs andmaintain their slots in alignment for receiving blades 20. Member 102 issecured to discs 27 and 28 by for example rivets 103. Additionally, eachblade is secured to channel member 102 by means of nuts and bolts 101.It is to be understood that other suitable pin and aperture fasteningmeans or in fact any satisfactory conventional fastening means may beused in place of the rivets and in place of nuts and bolts.

FIG. 3 exemplifies an actual demonstration of the successful operationof gas turbine wheel 21 of the invention. In the test apparatusillustrated in FIG. 8 wheel 21 is mounted upon an arm 104 which pivotsabout rod 106. A scale 108 on arm 104i and fixed plate 110 indicates therelative position of the arm. During the rest position, arm 104 ismaintained at the zero marking of scale 108 under the action of opposedsprings 112. The arrangement also includes a capstan 36 so that theturbine 21 is in the static position. The arrangement also includes asource of compressed air 114 having an outlet 116 for directing airthrough nozzle P which simulates a tail pipe.

With the arrangement of FIG. 8 when the valve in compressed air tank 114is opened air is directed through nozzle P against turbine wheel 21.Ordinarily the wheel would simply rotate under the influence of the gasflow. However, because of the inclusion of cable 38 anchored to capstan36 the tendency for the turbine to simply rotate is resisted and resultsin arm 104 being deflected toward nozzle P. The deflection which ismeasured on scale 108 is also a measure of the tension in cable 38. Testresults indicate that when using a 200 cu. ft. 3,000 psi. air tank 114which was opened for a period of five seconds, the thrust was more thantwo times the value of the arrangement in the static position, thusclearly indicating how a substantial thrust is developed by the use ofturbine 21.

I claim:

1. A gas flow turbine comprising a circular support wheel having acentral axis, bearing means mounting said support wheel for rotationabout said central axis, a series of blades mounted about the peripheryof said wheel, said blades being disposed substantially radially withrespect to said wheel and substantially parallel to said central axis,gas flow directing means disposed for impinging a flow of gas radiallyand tangentially against approximately one quadrant of said wheelwhereby said blades in said one quadrant are substantially flooded withsaid flow of gas, the edges of said blades being substantially free ofobstruction whereby said flow of gas directed against them flows freelybetween said blades after impingement thereupon to derive a substantialthrust from said gas flow without materially impeding it, said gas flowdirecting means comprising a jet propelled vehicle having a tail pipewhich exhausts said gas flow therefrom, and connecting means betweensaid turbine and said vehicle for transmitting said thrust from saidturbine to said vehicle.

2. A turbine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said wheel comprises discmeans, said blades extending away from both sides of said disc meanssubstantially equal amounts, and the ends of said blades beingsubstantially free of connection whereby impediment to the flow of gasbetween said blades is minimized.

3. A turbine as set forth in claim 2 wherein said disc means comprises apair of axially spaced metal discs secured to each other and the centralportions of said blades being secured to said axially spaced discs.

4. A turbine as set forth in claim 3 wherein said axially spaced discsinclude a series of peripheral slots corresponding to the cross sectionof said blades, said blades extending through said said slots, andfastening means securing the central portion of said blades within saidspaced discs.

5. A turbine as set forth in claim 4 wherein pin and aperture typefastening means secure said blades to said discs means.

6. A turbine as set forth in claim 3 wherein a series of radiallydisposed longitudinal structural members are disposed between said discmeans, fastening means secure said disc meansto said members, theportions of said blades between said drsc means contacting members, andfastening means secure said contacting portions of said blades and saidmembers to each other.

7. A turbine as set forth in claim 6 wherein said members comprisechannel means, and said fastening means connecting said disc means tosaid channel means and said blades to said members comprising pin andaperture type fasteners.

8. A turbine as set forth in claim 7 wherein said fastening meanscomprise nuts and bolts.

9. A turbine as set forth in claim 1 wherein a shield is disposed abouta portion of said turbine for diverting hot gas from an adjacent areabeing protected.

10. A turbine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said blades have aslightly curved cross section in the radial direction.

11. A turbine as set forth in claim 10 wherein said blades are connectedapproximately at a midportion to said wheel with their ends extendingtherefrom, whereby the free flow said gas through them is promoted.

12. A turbine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said vehicle is a jetairplane.

1. A gas flow turbine comprising a circular support wheel having acentral axis, bearing means mounting said support wheel for rotationabout said central axis, a series of blades mounted about the peripheryof said wheel, said blades being disposed substantially radially withrespect to said wheel and substantially parallel to said central axis,gas flow directing means disposed for impinging a flow of gas radiallyand tangentially against approximately one quadrant of Said wheelwhereby said blades in said one quadrant are substantially flooded withsaid flow of gas, the edges of said blades being substantially free ofobstruction whereby said flow of gas directed against them flows freelybetween said blades after impingement thereupon to derive a substantialthrust from said gas flow without materially impeding it, said gas flowdirecting means comprising a jet propelled vehicle having a tail pipewhich exhausts said gas flow therefrom, and connecting means betweensaid turbine and said vehicle for transmitting said thrust from saidturbine to said vehicle.
 2. A turbine as set forth in claim 1 whereinsaid wheel comprises disc means, said blades extending away from bothsides of said disc means substantially equal amounts, and the ends ofsaid blades being substantially free of connection whereby impediment tothe flow of gas between said blades is minimized.
 3. A turbine as setforth in claim 2 wherein said disc means comprises a pair of axiallyspaced metal discs secured to each other and the central portions ofsaid blades being secured to said axially spaced discs.
 4. A turbine asset forth in claim 3 wherein said axially spaced discs include a seriesof peripheral slots corresponding to the cross section of said blades,said blades extending through said said slots, and fastening meanssecuring the central portion of said blades within said spaced discs. 5.A turbine as set forth in claim 4 wherein pin and aperture typefastening means secure said blades to said discs means.
 6. A turbine asset forth in claim 3 wherein a series of radially disposed longitudinalstructural members are disposed between said disc means, fastening meanssecure said disc means to said members, the portions of said bladesbetween said disc means contacting members, and fastening means securesaid contacting portions of said blades and said members to each other.7. A turbine as set forth in claim 6 wherein said members comprisechannel means, and said fastening means connecting said disc means tosaid channel means and said blades to said members comprising pin andaperture type fasteners.
 8. A turbine as set forth in claim 7 whereinsaid fastening means comprise nuts and bolts.
 9. A turbine as set forthin claim 1 wherein a shield is disposed about a portion of said turbinefor diverting hot gas from an adjacent area being protected.
 10. Aturbine as set forth in claim 1 wherein said blades have a slightlycurved cross section in the radial direction.
 11. A turbine as set forthin claim 10 wherein said blades are connected approximately at amidportion to said wheel with their ends extending therefrom, wherebythe free flow said gas through them is promoted.
 12. A turbine as setforth in claim 1 wherein said vehicle is a jet airplane.